Page 13 of The Billionaire's Assistant

Finally, I cleared my throat and said, “About what, sir?”

“You weren’t here. I had a crucial meeting, and you didn’t show up.” I exhaled my relief. I could explain being late. I’d been on time ever other day. Surely he wasn’t going to fire me over this one mistake. As I was formulating my response, he continued, “Why did you apply for this job?”

Fuck. Does he know. Think.Think.“It was an excellent opportunity and a chance to work for a well-respected company.”

“Bullshit.” He stared at me, letting his gaze run up and down my body. I hated how much it turned me on. I wanted him so damn much, more maybe than I wanted to run, which was stupid. Running was what I should have done when Jesse told me I had to apply for this job. I should have run gotten myself as far away from my family as I could get.

“You already had a good job.”

“This one was better.”

He studied me, letting the silence build. “There were qualifications you didn’t meet.”

Did he know just how much I’d lied on my résumé? “Then why did you hire me?”

“That’s an excellent question. Maybe an even better one is why should I keep you on here? You disappointed me today.”

“It won’t happen again.”

He nodded. “You’re right. It won’t.”

“I need this job.”

He shook his head. “You could get another one.”

Not one where I could steal secrets for my father. If I got fired, he’d blame me, and I might not get another chance to prove I could be useful. “You can’t fire me for being late one time.” Fuck. I sounded pathetic.

“I can do anything I want.”

He could. Anything. With a snap of his fingers, I could be escorted out of the building, or even murdered and never seen again.

No. He wouldn’t kill me. He wasn’t really going to kill whoever had fucked up their financial reporting either. Was he? When I met his gaze again, I wasn’t so sure. He looked like a predator who was ready to hunt me down.

8

MILES

Iknew it was wrong to enjoy Ben’s uncertainty as much as I did. If I were more evil, I’d make him beg, make him pay for his mistake, but I had enough self-control to stop myself. “You’re in luck, because what I want is to give you another chance.”

“Thank you, sir.” I could get off to that submissive tone in his voice so easily.

“Do not be late again.”

“I won’t. Today was…an anomaly.”

I gave a quick nod of acknowledgement. “It wasn’t a day for anomalies. It was a day for being focused.”

“Yes sir. I’m sorry. I will transcribe the meeting recording and have that for you soon.”

“See that you do.”

“Is there anything else?” Ben glanced nervously toward the door.

There was so much else I wanted, but it wasn’t time for that yet. However, I could indulge one of my desires. I hadn’t arranged a date to the gala I was hosting the next day. Partly because the only person I wanted to go with was Ben. I’d considered asking him and rejected the idea. Now, with him in front of me, so eager to please, so pliant. I couldn’t resist the urge. “I have a proposition for you.”

“What is it, sir?” I saw concern flash in his eyes. I could guess what he thought I would propose, and while I fully intended to get to that, this wouldn’t be my approach. Although, if he kept using that soft voice and calling me sir….

“As you know, we’re hosting a gala tomorrow night to benefit the Artistic Endeavors Foundation.” Most of the arrangements had been made before I hired Ben, but he’d brought me plenty of papers to sign about it and accompanied the event planners to the building’s upper-level event space.

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